Devendra Kumar
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck western Afghanistan on Sunday, a week after a series of quakes and aftershocks ravaged the same region, leaving thousands of people dead and entire villages in ruins. The epicenter of the earthquake was located about 21 miles outside Herat, the provincial capital, and five miles below the surface, according to the US Geological Survey.
The devastating impact of the quake was felt in the Baloch area of Rabat Sangi district, where entire villages have been destroyed, with local residents rushing to the hospital to donate blood in a desperate bid to help their fellow citizens. Sayed Kazim Rafiqi, a 42-year-old local resident, described the devastation as unprecedented, with the majority of houses damaged and people left terrified.
The initial quakes on October 7 had already left a trail of destruction, with more than 90% of the victims reported to be women and children, according to UN officials. Taliban officials stated that the earlier quakes had claimed more than 2,000 lives across the province, with the epicenter located in Zenda Jan district, where 1,294 people died, 1,688 were injured, and every home was destroyed.
The region is still reeling from the devastating impact of the quakes, with rescue efforts struggling to keep pace with the sheer scale of the destruction. Entire communities have been left without homes or basic necessities, and aid groups are working tirelessly to provide assistance to those affected by the disaster.
Despite the international community’s efforts to provide humanitarian aid and support, the road to recovery will be long and arduous. As the people of western Afghanistan struggle to come to terms with the devastating impact of these earthquakes, the world watches with gravity, aware that the battle to rebuild and recover is only just beginning.
The fragility of life in western Afghanistan has been starkly highlighted by these devastating earthquakes, and it is imperative that the international community continues to provide support and assistance to the affected regions. As the people of western Afghanistan wait for aid to arrive, they are left to wonder if they will ever be able to rebuild their shattered lives and reconnect with their shattered communities.